300 Poniaiidcr Collection of Hazvaiian Folk-lore. 



The transient fish of this place. 



We have traveled over all these seas. 



All the different places, the holes, the runs. 



Since you are dead, father, I am the only one left. 



When Punia ceased wailing, one of the ghosts said to another: "Our nets will he 

 of some use now since here comes a man who is acquainted with this place and we will 

 not be letting down our nets in the wrong place." They then called out [to Punia] : 

 "Come here." When Punia heard this call he went up to the ghosts. They then asked 

 him : "What are you crying about?" Punia replied : "I am crying because of my father; 

 this is the place where we used to fish. When I saw the lava rocks, I thought of him.'" 

 The ghosts then said to Punia : "Well and good, you shall show us how and where to cast 

 the nets and we will work under you." Punia assented to this saying: "All right, if you 

 carry out my instructions and do as I tell you we will catch all the fish you want. This 

 is what I want you to do : Two of you must swim out with me while the rest shall stay 

 ashore here ; and when I call to some of you to swim out to us then come. When I stick 

 up two fingers, that will mean that I want two to come; and if I stick up one finger, then 

 I want one to come. That is the way the fish of this place are caught, because the bottom 

 is all open and there are several places where the nets mvist be let down." The ghosts all 

 heard the instructions of Punia. Punia after this swam out with two of the ghosts, and 

 after some little time he called out to the two ghosts to open out the nets and said: 

 "When I give you the order to dive, then you must dive down and don't come up again 

 until I pull on the nets, for I see there is a large school of them here." When the ghosts 

 dove down Punia dove in after them and twisted the nets tangling up the ghosts and kill- 

 ing them. After these two were killed Punia came up to the surface and called out to 

 those ashore holding up two fingers. Two more came swimming and again they were 

 killed. He next called out and held up one finger and that one was also killed. Punia 

 continued this deceit until there were but \'ery few of the ghosts left alive. When the 

 ghosts saw that Punia was the only one to be seen in the sea they called out to Punia : 

 "Where are the rest of our companions ?" "They are here," replied Punia. "They are 

 twisting up the kala, the uhu, the nenue," the palani and the transient fish of these 

 waters." The ghosts that were left then said one to another: "They are not killed." 

 Punia then held uj^ one finger, calling for only one. One came out. Punia called for 

 two and two swam out. Punia continued to do this until all but one of the ghosts were 

 killed. 



"Ncnnc, rudder-fisli, a species of Kyplwsiis. 



